False Bay Park

False Bay Park is a nature reserve on South Africa's northeastern coast featuring woodlands, thornveld, grasslands, and shoreline zones. These different habitats sit side by side, each supporting distinct plant and animal communities.

The park was established in 1944 to protect the area and its fossil record. Marine fossils found here date back 60 million years, marking when the entire region lay beneath ancient seas.

The reserve reflects how local communities have long connected with these diverse ecosystems through daily interaction and resource use. Walking through the different zones shows how people have adapted their presence to the varied landscape.

The reserve offers kayaking, guided horseback rides, and hiking trails for different experience levels. Turtle watching is most rewarding from October to February when nesting activity peaks.

The park shelters one of South Africa's last colonies of pink-backed pelicans alongside rare sand forest patches. These two features together create a habitat found in few other places in the country.

Location: KwaZulu-Natal

Inception: 1944

Elevation above the sea: 53 m

Part of: iSimangaliso Wetland Park

GPS coordinates: -27.97580,32.36220

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:03